Turtle soup

Ingredients:

1 pound turtle meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup shortening
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
7 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3 to 4 quarts water
1/4 cup beef stock concentrate
2 teaspoons celery salt
4 bay leaves
12 whole cloves
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sherry (optional)
Lemons, thinly sliced (optional)
Hardboiled eggs, chopped (optional)

Preparation:

Saute turtle meat in shortening until very brown.
Add onions, celery and garlic.
Cook for 10 minutes. Blend in flour, and cook 5 minutes.
Add Tabasco sauce, water, beef stock and then all other ingredients.
Simmer 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender.
Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sherry, hardboiled eggs, or lemon slices, if desired.
Better made ahead of time.
Freezes well.